Chopped' judge Alex Guarnaschelli talks Cleveland Fabulous Food Show

Celebrity chef Alex Guarnaschelli will take part in this year's Fabulous Food Show in Cleveland.

Arm your taste buds and get out your eating pants because the unofficial kickoff to the holiday culinary season is here.

That’s right, the annual Fabulous Food Show returns Nov. 8 through 10 at the I-X Center in Cleveland.

“With our enormous floor plan, guests can taste, try and buy their way through exceptional vendors in the Market Place; sample from upwards of 500 craft beers, wines and spirits in the Grand Tasting Pavilion; enjoy cutting-edge demonstrations by world-renowned experts and local professionals; discover new restaurants in our Taste of the Neighborhood; and savor much more all in one single location,” said Fabulous Food Show Executive Producer Jeremy Levine. “Last year, the three-day show attracted visitors from 24 states and parts of Canada.

“By adding two new signature events — Cleveland Culinary Awards Gala and the International Beer Fest — the Fabulous Food Show continues to solidify its reputation as the nation’s premier food and beverage experience.”

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For those who have yet to experience the Fabulous Food show, it’s billed as an unparalleled and comprehensive cultural affair boasting more than 450 exhibiting companies and nearly 100 demonstrations on six high-performance stages by world-renowned celebrity chefs and culinary professionals.

This year, the 1,500-seat custom-built Main Kitchen Theatre includes a star-studded list of talent making their Fabulous Food Show debut, such as Martha Stewart, Marcus Samuelsson, Hugh Acheson, Tom Colicchio and Sunny Anderson. The list also includes Alex Guarnaschelli, who in 2012 was crowned the first woman to win “Iron Chef America.”

“It’s fun to go to another part of America,” said Guarnaschelli, calling from New York City. “I know Cleveland has its own foodie culture, which I certainly appreciate. I just like interacting with people. I like connecting with the crowds. Obviously, if you’re at this show, we share the common love and interest of food and ingredients. So it’s kind of like going somewhere with like-minded food lovers.”

The daughter of esteemed cookbook editor Maria Guarnaschelli, the Food Network host of “Chopped,” “The Cooking Loft” and “Alex’s Day Off” became interested in food early on in life. Eventually she studied overseas before returning to New York City, where she expanded her repertoire as executive chef at Butter Restaurant.

Most recently, Guarnaschelli released her cookbook “Old-School Comfort Food: The Way I Learned to Cook,” which she said epitomizes her culinary mission statement.

“I like the idea put forth in (animated feature film) ‘Ratatouille’ that anybody can cook,” Guarnaschelli said. “I’m sort of sharing my own food and life experiences through recipes. And I’m hoping people find that infectious and inspiring to do their own cooking and exploring.”

Guarnaschelli added that she’s obsessed with vegetables. Specifically, she’s fascinated with the underdog veggies. Anyone can champion broccoli or green beans, but this celebrity chef is hoping to take the rutabaga mainstream.

“I think the rutabaga is really under-loved, and I don’t get it,” Guarnaschelli said. “It’s so good when you add allspice and cinnamon, you roast it with a little bit of butter and pinch of honey or sugar. It’s not the most appealing looking vegetable — I don’t think its packaging helps — but it’s unbelievable.”

Hmm, it sounds like we know what Guarnaschelli’s next book will be about.